Yesterday's announcement of Nissan's purchase of Atlet is a further reminder of the consolidation wave riding through the forklift industry, as it is in so many other manufacturing sectors. The development co-incides with our report on Germany's Kion Group seeking a US acquisition to grow its market share. While customers often fear that consolidation lessens competition, there's no doubt that it also strengthens the suppliers by rationalising R&D, manufacturing, marketing and distribution. And in the wake of global collapses of mega-corporations in other sectors, consolidation should also shake out some of the weaker competitors, ensuring the survival of the fittest. The one certainty in all of this is that the process is far from over, and there will be many more acquisitions in the future.